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During a 12-year, 42-fight career, Heath Herring (28-14 MMA, 2-3 UFC) said he’s never fought in an MMA event in Las Vegas.

He hoped he’d get his chance at UFC 100, which is tentatively scheduled for July at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, but instead, the UFC heavyweight will appear at UFC 99.

And though Herring couldn’t personally confirm the matchup during today’s appearance on TAGG Radio, a source close to his opponent told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) Herring has verbally agreed to fight undefeated Cain Velasquez (5-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) at the June event.

Although not officially announced, UFC 99 is expected to take place June 13 at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany.

MMAjunkie.com first reported on Wednesday that Velasquez (and his American Kickboxing Academy teammate Mike Swick) are tentatively slated to appear on the UFC 99 card, which will be the UFC’s first event in Germany.

Velasquez, who recently earned a $30,000 Knockout of the Night bonus for a TKO of Denis Stojnic at UFC Fight Night 17, will get the toughest test of his young career in Herring, a longtime PRIDE fighter who’s 2-3 since joining the UFC in 2007.

Herring, who most recently dropped a unanimous decision to Brock Lesnar, will return from a 10-month layoff from competition.

During today’s in-studio TAGG Radio appearance, Herring said he feels pressure to get back to work.

“I think the most important thing is to get in there with an opponent, get business taken care of, and see where it goes from there,” Herring said.

However, he was willing to wait an additional month if it would have meant a spot on the UFC 100 card.

“I never fought in Vegas, and I was really trying to get on the card,” Herring said. “I’d sure like to be on that 100 card, be in Vegas, and fight in the biggest UFC event ever. … (But UFC matchmaker) Joe Silva said I should have called a week earlier.”

A complete recap of Herring’s appearance will be posted in the following day.

For the latest on UFC 99, which is also expected to feature Rich Franklin vs. Wanderlei Silva (at a catch-weight of 195 pounds), stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.